Emirates unveils sponsorship of the Barcelona open

20 March 2013

Airline Expands its Tennis Portfolio in Europe

BARCELONA, SPAIN 20th March 2013: Emirates has entered another major sponsorship in Spain by supporting the Barcelona Open tennis tournament, in a deal which runs until 2018. The announcement was made at a press conference held at the historic Real Club de Tenis Barcelona.

Emirates will have exclusive airline status in a partnership that will enable it to reach out to and engage with tennis fans across Spain. This year’s tournament takes place from 20th – 28th April in Barcelona, where Emirates launched services less than nine months ago. As part of the five year agreement, the airline will have promotional rights to integrated branding and digital elements both on and off the court. The airline will also receive interactive hospitality rights which include a double marquee in the popular VIP Village and an exhibition booth in the Fan Boulevard.

“Our sponsorship with the prestigious Barcelona Open represents a further strengthening of Emirates’ commitment to Spain. This event will provide a high-profile and dynamic platform for Emirates that we hope will create a deeper connection with our customers,” said Fernando Suarez de Gongora, Manager for Spain and Portugal.

“Our commitment to tennis through this globally recognised tournament will now be reflected at the local level in Barcelona, empowering fans through sharing and supporting their enthusiasm for the sport,” he continued.

Staged at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona, the oldest Spanish tennis club, The Barcelona Open, Trofeo Conde de Godó, is the oldest tennis tournament in Spain and one of the most prestigious clay court tournaments on the circuit. The ATP World Tour 500 Event will celebrate its 61st edition in 2013. The tournament is also one of the most important events on the Barcelona social calendar.

“We’re very pleased with Emirates’ participation at the tournament. It is a very prestigious international organization and for us it means a strong boost in the tournament’s international positioning,” said Albert Agustí, President Real Club Tenis Barcelona.

This is Emirates’ second tennis sponsorship in Europe. Just last year, Emirates became the Official Airline and Premium Partner of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia (Italian Open).

Emirates recently announced a five-year global partnership with the ATP, which sees Emirates become the Official Airline of the ATP World Tour, as well as the new title sponsor of the ATP Rankings, in addition to the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Emirates (www.emirates.com) is the Official Airline of the US Open and the title sponsor of the Emirates Airline US Open Series, 10 events which combine to form the summer hardcourt season that leads into the US Open. Emirates is also the Official Airline of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, the Rogers Cup in Canada and the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, the most attended tennis tournament in the world outside of the four grand slams.

Emirates currently offers 21 weekly flights to Spain; a double daily flight to Madrid and a daily flight to Barcelona, supporting a 1.63 USD billion relationship between Spain and the UAE, according to the Ministry of Foreign Trade. Just last month, the airline brought its popular A380 to Barcelona for its first ever scheduled service. The A380 service operated on both 24th February and 1st March 2013. Emirates currently serves Barcelona with a 777-300ER offering 360 seats in a three-class configuration.

With a fleet of 198 aircraft and the world’s largest Boeing 777 and A380 fleet, Emirates flies to 132 destinations in 77 countries across six continents.